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Who should pay for the rain that runs off Portsmouth's roofs and parking lots? The city is taking a fresh look.
The city has hired Raftelis Financial Consultants to evaluate whether to create a dedicated Stormwater Enterprise Utility, according to a City of Portsmouth release published by Patch.
Stormwater is now paid for equally by the General Fund and Sewer Funds. Single-family homes make up about 70% of properties but only about 15% of the paved and hard surfaces that create runoff. A utility would charge property owners based on their impervious surface, such as roofs, driveways and pavement.
No decision has been made. Before the City Council votes, the city plans stakeholder interviews, an online survey and possibly open houses, plus a web app where owners can see their impervious area and estimate a fee.
Source: Patch (City of Portsmouth release). Read the original article.
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Photo: "Market Street, Portsmouth New Hampshire (30415728141)" by Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized from the original.
